Mental Health Center Corrects Process for Providing Notice of Privacy Practices
Covered Entity: Outpatient Facility
Issue: Notice

A mental health center did not provide a notice of privacy practices (notice) to a father or his minor daughter, a patient at the center.  In response to OCR’s investigation, the mental health center acknowledged that it had not provided the complainant and his daughter with a notice prior to her mental health evaluation.  To resolve this matter, the mental health center revised its intake assessment policy and procedures to specify that the notice will be provided and the clinician will attempt to obtain a signed acknowledgement of receipt of the notice prior to the intake assessment.  The acknowledgement form is now included in the intake package of forms.  The center also provided OCR with written assurance that all policy changes were brought to the attention of the staff involved in the daughter’s care and then disseminated to all staff affected by the policy change.